You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.
Parallel translations
- KJV Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
- BSB You have given me Your shield of salvation; Your right hand upholds me, and Your gentleness exalts me.
- NKJV You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great.
- NASB You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds me; And Your gentleness makes me great.
- NLT You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God's saving shield, sustaining hand, and gentleness are what make David great. Greatness flows from God's condescending kindness, not human achievement.
Overview
David names three gifts: the 'shield of your salvation' (divine protection), the 'right hand' that upholds him, and God's 'gentleness' (or condescension) that exalts him. Strikingly, it is God's humility in stooping to help that makes a man great. This anticipates the gospel, where God's gentleness in Christ lifts up the lowly and the One who humbled himself is exalted.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 2 Sam 22:36You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your gentleness has made me great.
- Jas 3:17–18But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
- Ps 28:7Yahweh is my strength and my shield. My heart has trusted in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart greatly rejoices. With my song I will thank him.
- Gal 5:22–23But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,
- 2 Cor 10:1Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ; I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.
- Deut 33:29You are happy, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by Yahweh, the shield of your help, the sword of your excellency? Your enemies will submit themselves to you. You will tread on their high places.”
- Isa 40:11He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead those who have their young.
- Ps 17:7Show your marvelous loving kindness, you who save those who take refuge by your right hand from their enemies.
- Isa 22:3All your rulers fled away together. They were bound by the archers. All who were found by you were bound together. They fled far away.
- Ps 45:3–4Strap your sword on your thigh, mighty one: your splendor and your majesty.
- Ps 5:12For you will bless the righteous. Yahweh, you will surround him with favor as with a shield.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 18:35 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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